Honolulu City Council members who are seeking re-election this month have significantly outraised their opponents, according to the latest campaign spending data.

Kimberly Case, who is challenging Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi for the District 5 seat, didn’t raise any money this year. The district includes Kaimuki, Palolo Valley, St. Louis Heights, Manoa, Moiliili, McCully, and part of Ala Moana, Kakaako, and Makiki.

Case had $3,319.87 on hand at the beginning of the year and spent $2,000.80, largely on Facebook advertising.

She told Civil Beat earlier this year that she wasn’t planning to raise any money because she didn’t want to be beholden to special interests, and understood her candidacy would be a long shot against Kobayashi, chair of the Council Budget Committee.

Honolulu City Council incumbents have far out-raised their opponents.
Honolulu City Council incumbents have far outraised their challengers. Cory Lum/CIvil Beat

As of Oct. 24, Case had just $1,319.07 in the bank, 1.2 percent of Kobayashi’s $103,340.56. The councilwoman started out this year with about $104,000, spent $71,586.54 and raised $70,239.00.

Kobayashi’s biggest expenses were printing, mailing and buying food and beverages. Her biggest contributors include Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund, a local union; Dale Evans, the president of Charley’s Taxi; and businesswoman Annie Chan of Everbright I.

Councilman Joey Manahan is being challenged by Chace Shigemasa in District 7, which includes Kalihi, lwilei, Kalihi Kai, Mapunapuna, Salt Lake, Aliamanu, Hickam, Foster Village, Ford Island and Sand Island.

Shigemasa started the year with $20.38 and raised $3,820.00 from a handful of donors, including Ann Matsumoto and Salvador Cecilio from Wahiawa.

Shigemasa spent most of that money on printing and accessing voter ID software.

He had just $751.19 left, a far cry from Manahan’s $95,086.82 cash on hand. Manahan’s biggest expenses were printing, postage and mailing.

His recent contributors have included the Hawaii Association of Realtors and the American Resort Development Association Resort Owners Coalition Political Action Committee, which represents timeshare owners.

Emil Svrcina is hoping to unseat Councilman Ron Menor in District 9, encompassing Waikele, Waipahu, Village Park, Makakilo, Kunia and Mililani Town. Svrcina raised $3,600 and spent $2,869.48 mainly on advertising.

Svrcina, whose campaign slogan is “Make Honolulu Great Again,” didn’t list any campaign contributors.

Svrcina had just $230.52 on hand compared to Menor’s $68,199.49.

Menor’s biggest contributors include the political action committee for the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters, real estate investor Donna Walden and Painters Union Local 1791. He started the year with $59,126.58 and spent thousands of dollars on advertising, postage and mailing.

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